High School Shifts to Hands-On Learning to Boost Student Engagement

In 2017, staff at an alternative public high school in southeastern Massachusetts identified a significant number of students failing to graduate or engage in further learning, leading to a re-evaluation of their model and curriculum. The school's leadership concluded that the existing educational structure was failing students, who were instead seeking more rigorous and relevant lessons. This realization prompted a shift towards a new educational approach centered on project-based, real-world learning experiences designed to foster intrinsic motivation and critical thinking.

The school implemented a transformation by designing and opening a new alternative school model that prioritizes experiential, project-based units grounded in real-world scenarios. These units, termed Transformative Learning Experiences (TLEs), are structured to address the "why this matters" question for students, thereby naturally enhancing engagement. The TLEs challenge students to think critically and encourage them to re-evaluate issues and dilemmas relevant to their own lives and communities, moving away from passive information absorption.

This pedagogical shift has led to students becoming more immersed in the process of "figuring out" rather than merely "finding out" answers, a contrast to the potentially alienating approach of traditional courses. The school collaborated with its technical partner, the nonprofit organization Springpoint, to develop and implement these new learning experiences. Currently, the school offers 25 TLEs, demonstrating a commitment to providing a more effective and engaging educational environment for its students.